College staff and students are celebrating a run of success at the Suffolk Show - culminating in victory in its fiercely-contested mascot race.

Alan Pease - who celebrated his first anniversary as principal and chief executive of Suffolk New College and Suffolk Rural at the show - said it was "the perfect way to end an incredible year".

The day began with students appearing on the BBC talking about the future of farming and the need to encourage more young people into the industry.  

Rey Wickenden, 20, of Polstead went on to scoop first prize in the Inventive Farming competition for a six-foot logging trailer he built with some of his classmates. Rey and the team won a certificate and £50. 

Rey then showed livestock for the company Long Angus. Collectively they won the cow and calf award, top prizes in heifer and calf classes and Smoky the Bull was named reserve breed champion in Aberdeen Angus classes. 

Horticulture students created a show garden with a farming theme which struck gold - and after coming second last year, apprentice Mark Richardson – aka Fast and Furious George – won the annual mascot race. 

Jake Wood – a farming learner from Suffolk Rural - won the Suffolk Agricultural Apprentice of the Year award. 

The college  joined forces with a series of partners to promote green skills with a dedicated sustainable stand while at the main college marquee, Suffolk Rural focused on land-based careers.

In other areas of the show, floristry learners created displays, equine students helped build show-jumping courses and carpentry students built and sold bird boxes raising a sum of cash for St Elizabeth Hospice.  

Floristry students created a design called under the sea championing sustainability in their industry and they also raised money for the RSPB. 

In the skills zone that was sponsored by Suffolk New College, students from various departments showcased their skills in areas such as beauty, construction, forensic science, and hairdressing. In particular there was an Ipswich Town Football Club theme where motoring students hand painted a car bonnet in homage to the Tractor Boys.

College events organiser Charlotte Rossiter said: “What an amazing couple of days at a fabulous occasion that unites the county. We were proud to play our part.”